John Saxon, an actor who personified the description ‘ruggedly handsome’, has died of pneumonia at the age of 83.
Saxon is best known for his role alongside Bruce Lee in iconic martial arts feature “Enter the Dragon,” and in the three best ‘Elm Street’ films – Wes Craven’s 1984 iconic masterpiece “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” 1987’s Craven-penned “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors” and 1994’s “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare”.
Saxon broke through with “The Unguarded Moment” and went on to score a Golden Globe for his role as a brutal Mexican bandit opposite Marlon Brando in “The Appaloosa”. He had a key role in the first ‘slasher’ feature with 1974’s “Black Christmas,” and worked with Roger Corman twice including 1980’s “Battle Beyond the Stars”.
His co-stars included Sandra Dee in “The Reluctant Debutante,” Debbie Reynolds in “This Happy Feeling,” Clint Eastwood in “Joe Kidd,” and Robert Redford in “The Electric Horseman”. Other films he’s starred in include “Beverly Hills Cop III,” “Fever Pitch,” “Evil Eye” and “Blood Beast From Outer Space”.
He also had recurring roles on numerous soaps and drama series including ABC’s “Dynasty,” CBS’ “Falcon Crest” and NBC’s “The Bold Ones”. Married three times, he’s survived by a son and a sister. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends.
Source: THR
